Magnetic toy drum



Filed July 27, 1956 Joseph Barsos INVENTOR.

BY MM 25m United States Patent MAGNETIC TOY DRUM Joseph Borsos, Allen Park, Mich.

Application July 27, 1956, Serial No. 600,488

3 Claims. (Cl.46-.-240) This invention generally relates to an amusement device and more particularly to a toy in the form of a rotatable drum which incorporates a magnet disposed therein, together with a movable object on the periphery of the drum, so that the object disposed on the surface thereof will apparently defy the law of gravity, thus creating the illusion that the object is moving at a very rapid rate.

An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic type toy drum having a magnet rotatably mounted therein for selective rotation of the drum or magnet, together with an object mounted on the periphery of the drum and held thereon by magnetic attraction, so that the drum may be rotated about the magnet wherein the object on the drum will remain stationary or so that the magnet may be rotated and the drum held stationary so that the object will rotate or move around the drum.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a highly amusing type toy which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which is adaptable for use in various manners.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the magnetic toy drum of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded group perspective view of the elements of the present invention; and

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 33 of Figure 1, illustrating the details of construction of the invention.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the magnetic toy drum of the present invention. The magnetic toy drum incorporates a pair of circular side plates 12 and 14 which are interconnected by a cylindrical member 16, thus forming a closed drum. The circular plate 12 is provided with a centrally disposed, longitudinally projecting handle 18 which is rigidly secured to the plate 12, as by suitable adhesive or the like. The plate 12 is provided with a central opening 20 which is in alignment with a socket 22 in the handle 18.

A shaft 24 extends between the plates 12 and 14, with one end thereof projecting through the aperture 20 and into the socket 22, wherein the handle 18 is rotatable in relation to the shaft 24. The other end of the shaft 24 projects through an opening 26 in the plate 14 and extends into a socket 28 in a handle 30 similar to the handle 18. A transverse locking pin 32 extends through the handle 30 and the rod or shaft 24, thereby locking the handle 30 to the rod 24 for rotation therewith. The inner end of the handle 30 is provided with a cylindrical abutment 34 for engaging the outer surface of the plate 14 and the shaft 24 is provided with a cylindrical abutment 36 which engages the inner surface of the plate 14 so that 2,818,680 Patented Jan. 7, 1958 the shaft 24 may rotate in relation to the plates 12 and 14 when the handle 30 is rotated.

At the center of the shaft 24 is a perpendicularly arranged elongated rod 38 having a weight '40- at one end thereof and a U-shaped magnet 42 at the other end thereof with the bight portion of the magnet being mounted on a supporting plate 44.

Disposed on the periphery of the cylindrical member 16 of the drum 10 is a minature airplane 46, with it being understood that other types of vehicles may be employed if desired.

In operation, the counterbalancing weight 40 will dispose the magnet 42 at the upper portion of the drum 10 in a normal posiiton. By grasping the handles 18 and 30, the drum, constituting the plates 12 and 14 and the cylindrical member 16, may be rotated by rotating handle 18 which is rigidly secured thereto. This rotation of the drum will not affect the magnet 42, since the shaft 24 is rotatably journaled in the socket 22 and will be prevented from rotating by the weight 40 and the grasping force on the handle 30 which is rigidly attached to shaft 24. This will maintain the airplane 46 in place on the periphery of the drum 10 by virtue of the vehicle 46 being constructed of magnetic material or having a magnetic insert as designated by the numeral 48. Another way of operating the device is to hold the drum stationary by gripping the handle 18 and causing the magnet 42 to rotate about the axis of the shaft 24 by rotating the handle 30 in an obvious manner. This will cause the airplane or vehicle 46 to move about the trackway or pathway defined by the cylindrical member 16. This relative movement between the airplane or vehicle 46 and the drum will create the illusion of rapid speed and also will create the illustion of the airplane 46 defying the law of gravity and being held in position against the surface of the cylindrical member 16. By varying the modes of operation described above, the vehicle or airplane 46 may be caused to move in a variety of manners, thereby enhancing the utility and adaptability of the present device.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A toy comprising a hollow cylindrical drum having end plates, an object mounted for movement on the periphery of said drum, a laterally extending handle rigid with one end plate, a shaft journaled in the end plates, a rod rigidly mounted on said shaft in perpendicular relation, a weight on one end of said rod, and a magnet on the other end of said rod, said object having a metallic insert subject to magnetic influence whereby the weight will maintain the magnet and object in constant position during rotation of the drum, said shaft projecting laterally from said drum, a handle attached to the outer end of the shaft in opposition to the handle on the end plate for rotating the shaft independently of the drum for moving the object about the periphery of the drum.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said shaft and handle attached thereto are provided with flanges engaging opposite surfaces of said other end plate thereby forming a bearing for said other end plate.

3. A toy comprising a hollow cylindrical drum having circular end plates interconnected by a peripheral surface having a short longitudinal length, a laterally extending handle rigid with the center of one of said end plates, a simulated vehicle movable on the peripheral surface of ice v the drum, a metallic insert in said vehicle subject to magnetic influence with the insert being disposed adjacent the peripheral surface of the drum, a transverse shaft journaled between the end plates with the ends of the shaft extending through said end plates, one end of said shaft being journaled in the handle on said one end plate, a flange adjacent the other end of the shaft for rotational engagement with the inner surface of the other end plate, a handle mounted on the other end of said shaft, said handle on the other end of the shaft having a flange thereon for rotational engagement with the outer surface of the other end plate whereby the shaft and drum may rotate in relation to each other, a rod rigid with said shaft and ex tending diametrically of the drum, a weight on one end 4 of said rod, and a magnet on the other end of said rod for influencing the metallic insert for holding the simulated vehicle on the peripheral surface of the drum and maintaining the simulated vehicle in constant relationship with the rod whereby the drum and simulated vehicle may move independently of each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,462,028 Cascio July 17, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,727 Great Britain 1897 

